Feeler motion for automatic silk looms



June 23, 1931. I G. w. NICELY v1,311,590

FEELER MOTION FOR AUTOMATIC SILK LOOMS Filed Aug. 26. 1929 4/7 L/ NAM/[MAW 1e INVENTOR GEORGIMLNIOELY ATTORNEYS Patented June 23, 1931 GEORGE w. nIoELY, on M NTREAL, Queens, oa xrnna, ASSIGNOB TO BRITISH AMERI- UNITED STATES PA ENT. orrlcr e GAN"SILK MILL S LIMITED, OF MONTREAL, CANADA FEELER Morrow non AUTOMATIC SILK noo vrs AppIication filed August 26, 1929, Seria1 No. 388,500, and/in Canada July 24, 1929;

a This invention relates to new and useful improvements in looms and'particularly to looms of theautomatic type and the object of the invention isto provide a feeler mechanism to indicate that I the filling threads are nearly completed on an auto matic silk loom, said mechanism being adapted to throw the automatic replenishing mechanism into play. 7

According to my invention, I provide a pair of feelers resiliently mounted in a suitable insulating block, adjustably secured to V the loom. The feelers normally contact'with the thread around the bobbin of material being woven. 1 The bobbin has wound therearound at one end alayer of soft metal which underlies the thread. When the thread uncovers the metal the feelerscome into contact therewith and as these lfeelers are electrically connected to a solenoid which is connected tothe replenishing mechanism, the current to said solenoid is completed and the replenishing mechanism is called into play to insert a full bobbin into the loom shuttle and discharge the empty one therefrom. This insertion of one bobbin and the removal of the empty one is obtained through the movement of the transferrer, and means are provided to pull the feelers clear of the shuttle while the change is taking place. r a In the drawings which illustrate one form of my invention, i

Figure 1 is a sectional longitudinal view of my improved bobbin. 7 v

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a shuttle with my improved bobbin mounted, therein. Figure dis a planview of theshuttle, bobbin, picker stick and feelerzmotion, the connection between said mechanism and'the replenishing solenoid being shown diagrammatically. Q I Figure 4 is an end view showing the feeler mechanismand part oftheloom Figure 5 is a front-view showmg the relative position of the various'elements pertinent tomy improved feeler mechanism. I

1 Referring, more particularly to the: drawings,11 designates a bobbin ofthe usual type having a centraljbore 12. One end of the vpicker stick 23 to which is attached the picker 24Ladapted to receive and cushion the shock of theiiiying shuttle. Mounted on the machine is the solenoid 25 which is connected by suitable mechanism such as therod 26 to contact with a lever 27 which when the solenoid is'energized is pushed upwardly to contact with the actuator 28, which when held is adapted to; operate through suitable mechanism (not shown) the transferrer 29. This transferrer is adapted to knock into place in the shuttle a filled bobbin, said filled bobbin displacing: the empty bobbin in the. shuttle. The shuttle moves back and 'forthiasindicatedlby the arrows 22 before a the shuttle is thrown towards the other side of the machine. The foregoing is descriptive of one type of automatic loom, all parts of whichare old and well known in the art and the drawings is only shown diagrammatically to simplify the reading thereof. Only parts of the loom are shown which are controlled by the movement of the solenoid or parts which are necessary to pull the feelers clearof the bobbin while being changed.

Myimprovementlies in the feeler mechanism which isadapted to operate the solenoid. .v i V i In making my improvement, I first wrap around one end of the bobbin a layer 30 of tinfoil or like soft metallicv conducting material which is adapted to act as a bridge between the feelers hereinafter described. The threadis wrapped around the tinfoil.

My. reason for using the tin foil is that point pressure may be exerted on the threads wrapped therearound without cutting the threadduring the operation of the doom. Slidablymounted in. a suitableinsulating block 31, preferably wood, iare the feelers 82 which consist of wires or rods, the ends of which project through the wooden block and on each side thereof. The feelers are insulated-from one another and equipped with nuts 34, which contact with the block to prevent the rod from being pushed therethrough; These rods are resiliently held by any suitable means against the threads on the bobbin as they pass through the slots in the guide and in the shuttle. The preferred form of holding means shown in the drawings are in the form of flat springs 35, the free ends of which contact with the nuts. These springs may be slotted to allow free movement of the rods. The springs also act as conductors and are connected to the current supply to the solenoid in such a manner that when the bridging element on the bobbin is exposed and makes contact with the feeler rods, the circuit to the solenoid is closed, calling same into operation. The block is connected to a bracket 36 by bolts 37, said bracket being slotted to allow the block to be moved in the longitudinal direction of the bobbin. The bracket is attached to the breast beam by any suitable means which will allow the bracket to be moved towards and away from the bobbin. In the drawings, the bracket is shown slotted and screw bolts pass through the slots into the breast beam. This double adjustment allows the feelers to be carefully placed so that they will pass through the slots in the guide and the shuttle. The ends 83 of the feelers are bent upwardly and passed-loosely through openings formed in the ends of a bar 38 which is supported on the bent end of the feelers by means of the nuts 40 and constitutes a link connection which provides for independent movement of the feelers so that they will both contact with the tin foil. This bar 38 is adapted to contact with an extension 39 of the clotting hammer, when said hammer is in operation to discharge the bobbin.

In operation, the loom works in the usual manner, that is, the shuttle'and guide move towards and away from the feelers between the flying movement of the shuttle. As the thread on the bobbin gradually decreases and is woven into the material being manufactured, the tin foil becomes exposed. The tin foil when bare or substantially so, bridges the gap in the solenoid circuit between the feelers, thereby calling the operation of the solenoid into play. The solenoid moves upwardly and operates a link and lever which contacts with the actuator to hold same against motion. This pawl is adapted to bring the replenishing mechanism, not shown, into play to force the transferrer down towards the shuttle and bobbin therein. The end of the hammer which does the changing carries with it a full bobbin and forces same into the shuttle mg the ends of the feelers as the trans ferrer 1s descending. The feelers are thus drawn out of theway of the changing bobbins and on the return of the transferrer the flatsprings automatically return the feelers to their operative position.

In the drawings, I have shown one form of resilient means for holding the feelers in contact with the bobbin, but it will be readily understood that many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the'spirit of the invention.

The device is very simple and positive in its action and provides a delicately adjustable means for bringing the replenishing mechanism of a loom into play before the thread is completely unwound from the bobbin thereby preventing termination of the thread between the edges of the material being woven and necessitating stoppage of the machine to make the necessary connection in the weave.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. In a loom, a bobbin having ametallic wrapping thereon, replenishing mechanism including a transferrer, an insulated block, feeler mechanism comprising a pair of spaced feeler elements slidable through said blocks, means for limiting the movements of said elements in one direction, resilient means urging and normally maintaining said elements in contacting engagement with said bobbin, a bar connecting the corresponding outer extremities of said elements, a solenoid, one of said elements being'electrically connected with the solenoid, means connecting the solenoid andthe other of said elements with a source of electrical supply, and an extension carried by the transferrer and engaging said bar to move said feeler elements in a direction away from the bobbin as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a loom, a bobbin having a metallic wrapping thereon, replenishing mechanism including a transferrer, an insulated block, feeler mechanism comprising a pair of spaced feeler elements slidable through said block, stops carried by said elements and cooperating with said block to limit their movement 'in one direction, resilient elements carried by the block and engaging said stops to urge and normally maintain said elements in contacting engagement with the bobbin, a solenoid, one of said elements being electrically connected with said solenoid, means connecting the solenoid and other of said elements with a source of elec- In hand.

y GEORGE W. NIOELY. 

